Government buys land for affordable housing on major transport corridor in Wellington

Housing

The Government’s plan to increase housing supply and affordability in Wellington in places with good access to public transport has moved another step forward following the acquisition of a 2,016m2 section of land on Adelaide Road in Mount Cook, as part of a Kāinga Ora urban development programme.

“Wellington, in particular, is a difficult place to buy a first home and there is not a huge amount of land in the city that can be developed. This purchase will make a big difference for a significant number of prospective home buyers and people on a tighter budget who don’t want to commute huge distances. It’s about moving the dial,” says Megan Woods.

“Early estimates show the site could deliver up to 280 homes and for the New Zealanders who live at 28 Adelaide Road, there will be many benefits. It is close to the hospital, jobs, education, public transport, and within close proximity to lots of amenities.

“Adelaide Road’s handy location also means that the site aligns with several Wellington City programmes including the region’s proposed ‘Let’s Get Wellington Moving’ public transport corridor as well as the Green Network Plan, and the city’s Wastewater Renewals and Upgrades Programme.

 “Although early in the planning process, the aim is to develop the site to include a range of housing options at different price points and will include some public housing.

“The Kāinga Ora Land Programme, announced by this Government in March 2021 is about making strategic land purchases, with the backing of councils, iwi and other infrastructure partners, in areas where the market alone struggles to deliver the quantity and type of housing we need to make housing more affordable,” said Megan Woods.

The Government’s programme to address the housing crisis

  • Major investment in rebuilding the public housing sector. 10,600 additional homes and counting, as well as over 4,000 transitional homes.
  • Interest limitation rule exemption for build-to-rent sector to enable the delivery of more quality, long-term rental supply.
  • Investment in Māori housing to deliver up to 1000 new homes, repairs and maintenance to 700 homes, and infrastructure support to enable for 2,700 home sites ($730 million Budget 2021)
  • $3.8 billion for critical housing infrastructure like pipes and roads to enable new housing
  • Cutting red tape for urban development to encourage more new housing in areas where people want to live
  • Support for first home buyers; affordable homes, grants and loans and Progressive Home Ownership
  • Affordable Housing Fund to support new developments
  • Building Consent System review to unlock productivity and more affordable homes
  • Commerce Commission market study to pave way for fairer deal on key residential building supplies